Handled thermoplastic sacks are well known and are finding increasing use in the grocery sack market. Far and away the most common type of thermoplastic handled grocery sack is one made from a gussetted tube sealed at the top and the bottom with a suitable bag mouth and handle cutout, which yields a double layer of film in the handled region. There are two problems associated with this type of bag. One problem is the fact that the gusset folds of the bag are of necessity trapped in the bottom seal of the bag. This prevents the gusset from extending fully as product is loaded into the bag, which results in a wasteful loss of volume. The other problem is that where there are transitions from four-layers to two-layers along the heat-seal line of the bottom of the bag and forces are brought to bear at these transition points, as the bag attempts to expand, tears develop on both sides of the bag at the transition points.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bag and a method of making the same which bag will have maximum volumetric efficiency.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide maximum volumetric efficiency in a handled thermoplastic bag without sacrificing bag strength in the handled region of the bag.